A method for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device and the magnetic junction are described. The method includes providing a free layer, a pinned layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the pinned layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. At least one of the steps of providing the free layer and providing the pinned layer includes providing magnetic and sacrificial layers and performing two anneals of the sacrificial and magnetic layers. The magnetic layer includes a glass-promoting component and is amorphous as-deposited. The first anneal is at a first temperature exceeding 300 degrees Celsius and not exceeding 450 degrees Celsius. The second anneal is at a second temperature greater than the first temperature and performed after the first anneal. The sacrificial layer is removed.
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1. A method for providing a magnetic junction on a substrate usable in a magnetic device, the method comprising: providing a free layer, the free layer being switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction; providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer; providing a pinned layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer; and wherein at least one of the step of providing the free layer and the step of providing the pinned layer includes depositing a magnetic layer including a glass-promoting component, the magnetic layer being amorphous as-deposited; depositing a sacrificial layer on the magnetic layer; performing a first anneal of the magnetic layer and the sacrificial layer at a first temperature greater than 300 degrees Celsius and not more than 475 degrees Celsius, the magnetic layer being at least partially crystallized after the first anneal; performing a second anneal of the magnetic layer and the sacrificial layer after the first anneal, the second anneal being at a second temperature greater than the first temperature; and removing the sacrificial layer.
A method for manufacturing a magnetic junction on a substrate for use in a magnetic device involves creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer. The free layer can switch between stable magnetic states using a write current passed through the junction. Either the free layer or pinned layer creation includes depositing an initially amorphous magnetic layer containing a glass-promoting component, depositing a sacrificial layer on top, annealing the layers at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second temperature is greater than 400 degrees Celsius and not more than 575 degrees Celsius.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction as described above, where creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer includes a second annealing temperature that falls between 400°C and 575°C after the initial 300°C-475°C anneal to partially crystallize the magnetic layer. This step is performed after depositing an initially amorphous magnetic layer containing a glass-promoting component, and a sacrificial layer on top, followed by removing the sacrificial layer.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the glass-promoting component includes B.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction as described where creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer uses Boron (B) as the glass-promoting component in the initially amorphous magnetic layer. This layer is deposited with a sacrificial layer on top, annealing the layers at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sacrificial layer includes at least one of Ta, Hf, Rb, Sc, Zr, Nb, Mg, V, Mn, Ag, Be, Mo, Ti, Cr, Al, Te and W.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction described with Boron (B) as the glass-promoting component includes a sacrificial layer composed of at least one element from the group: Tantalum (Ta), Hafnium (Hf), Rubidium (Rb), Scandium (Sc), Zirconium (Zr), Niobium (Nb), Magnesium (Mg), Vanadium (V), Manganese (Mn), Silver (Ag), Beryllium (Be), Molybdenum (Mo), Titanium (Ti), Chromium (Cr), Aluminum (Al), Tellurium (Te) or Tungsten (W). The magnetic junction also involves creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer, annealing at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the sacrificial layer is at least two Angstroms thick and not more than ten Angstroms thick.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction including Boron (B) as a glass promoting component where the sacrificial layer, composed of at least one element from the group: Tantalum (Ta), Hafnium (Hf), Rubidium (Rb), Scandium (Sc), Zirconium (Zr), Niobium (Nb), Magnesium (Mg), Vanadium (V), Manganese (Mn), Silver (Ag), Beryllium (Be), Molybdenum (Mo), Titanium (Ti), Chromium (Cr), Aluminum (Al), Tellurium (Te) or Tungsten (W) is between 2 and 10 Angstroms thick. The magnetic junction also involves creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer, annealing at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
6. The method of claim 3 wherein the magnetic layer is selected from a CoFeB layer and a FeB layer.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction including Boron (B) as a glass promoting component uses a magnetic layer selected from either a Cobalt-Iron-Boron (CoFeB) or Iron-Boron (FeB) alloy. The magnetic junction also involves creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer, depositing a sacrificial layer on top, annealing at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the magnetic layer is a body-centered cubic layer having a (100) orientation.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction using a magnetic layer selected from either a Cobalt-Iron-Boron (CoFeB) or Iron-Boron (FeB) alloy including Boron (B) as a glass promoting component, where the magnetic layer forms a body-centered cubic (BCC) crystal structure with a (100) orientation. The magnetic junction also involves creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer, depositing a sacrificial layer on top, annealing at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the sacrificial layer is performed before the step of performing the second anneal and after the step of performing the first anneal the at least one of the step of providing the free layer, the step of providing the at least one of the free layer and the pinned layer further includes providing an additional sacrificial layer after the step of removing the sacrificial layer and before the step of performing the second anneal.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction includes creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer. It involves depositing an initially amorphous magnetic layer containing a glass-promoting component, and a sacrificial layer on top, annealing the layers at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, removing the sacrificial layer, depositing an additional sacrificial layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then fully processing the magnetic stack.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the nonmagnetic spacer layer further includes: depositing an MgO tunneling barrier layer.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction includes creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer made of a Magnesium Oxide (MgO) tunneling barrier layer, and a pinned layer. It involves depositing an initially amorphous magnetic layer containing a glass-promoting component, and a sacrificial layer on top, annealing the layers at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer. The free layer switches between stable magnetic states using a write current passed through the junction.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the step of providing the free layer and the step of providing the pinned layer includes: cooling the magnetic layer and the sacrificial layer to a temperature less than 200 degrees Celsius after the first anneal and before the second anneal.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction includes creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a pinned layer, and cooling the magnetic layer and the sacrificial layer to a temperature less than 200 degrees Celsius after the initial anneal between 300°C and 475°C, before performing the second higher temperature anneal. It involves depositing an initially amorphous magnetic layer containing a glass-promoting component, and a sacrificial layer on top, annealing the layers to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing an additional nonmagnetic spacer layer, the free layer being between the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer; and providing an additional pinned layer, the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer being between the additional pinned layer and the free layer.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction includes creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, an additional nonmagnetic spacer layer, a pinned layer, and an additional pinned layer. The free layer is positioned between the nonmagnetic spacer layers. It involves depositing an initially amorphous magnetic layer containing a glass-promoting component, and a sacrificial layer on top, annealing the layers at a temperature between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second anneal at a higher temperature, and then removing the sacrificial layer. The free layer switches between stable magnetic states using a write current passed through the junction.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing the additional pinned layer further includes depositing an additional magnetic layer including an additional glass-promoting component, the additional magnetic layer being amorphous as-deposited; depositing an additional sacrificial layer on the additional magnetic layer, the additional sacrificial layer being selected from Ta, Hf, Rb, Sc, Zr, Nb, Mg, V, Mn, Ag, Be, Mo, Ti, Cr, Al, Te and W, the additional sacrificial layer having a thickness of at least two Angstroms and not more than ten Angstroms; performing a third anneal of the additional magnetic layer and the additional sacrificial layer at a third temperature greater than 300 degrees Celsius and not more than 475 degrees Celsius; performing a fourth anneal of the additional magnetic layer and the additional sacrificial layer after the third anneal, the fourth anneal being at a fourth temperature greater than the third temperature, the fourth temperature being greater than 400 degrees Celsius and not more than 575 degrees Celsius; and removing the additional sacrificial layer.
The method for manufacturing a magnetic junction where the step of providing an additional pinned layer from the previous claim (which includes creating a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, an additional nonmagnetic spacer layer, a pinned layer, and an additional pinned layer with the free layer positioned between the nonmagnetic spacer layers) involves: depositing an additional magnetic layer with a glass-promoting component (amorphous as-deposited), depositing an additional sacrificial layer (Ta, Hf, Rb, Sc, Zr, Nb, Mg, V, Mn, Ag, Be, Mo, Ti, Cr, Al, Te or W, 2-10 Angstroms thick), performing a third anneal (300-475°C), performing a fourth anneal (greater than the third temperature, 400-575°C), and then removing the additional sacrificial layer.
13. A method for providing a magnetic junction on a substrate usable in a magnetic device, the method comprising: providing a free layer, the free layer being switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction; providing a crystalline MgO tunneling barrier layer; providing a pinned layer, the crystalline MgO tunneling barrier layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer; and wherein at least one of the step of providing the free layer and the step of providing the pinned layer includes depositing an amorphous magnetic layer, the amorphous magnetic layer being selected from a CoFeB layer and a FeB layer, the amorphous magnetic layer including a glass-promoting component and being amorphous as-deposited, the glass promoting component being B; depositing a sacrificial layer on the amorphous magnetic layer, the sacrificial layer being selected from a Ta layer and a W layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal (RTA) of the magnetic layer and the sacrificial layer at a first temperature greater than 300 degrees Celsius and not more than 475 degrees Celsius, the magnetic layer being at least partially crystallized after the first anneal; performing a second RTA of the magnetic layer and the sacrificial layer after the first RTA, the second RTA being at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the second temperature being greater than 400 degrees Celsius and not more than 575 degrees Celsius; and performing a plasma treatment to remove the sacrificial layer.
A method for manufacturing a magnetic junction includes creating a free layer, a crystalline Magnesium Oxide (MgO) tunneling barrier layer, and a pinned layer. The free layer can switch between stable magnetic states using a write current. Either the free layer or pinned layer creation includes depositing an amorphous magnetic layer (CoFeB or FeB) containing Boron (B), depositing a sacrificial layer (Ta or W) on top, performing a first rapid thermal anneal (RTA) between 300°C and 475°C to partially crystallize the magnetic layer, performing a second RTA at a higher temperature (400-575°C), and then removing the sacrificial layer using plasma treatment.
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March 10, 2016
October 31, 2017
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